Spain: Economy and industry back on track

Nevertheless, even the production and sales figures of the industries are positive: In 2015, 133,000 more vehicles than expected left the17 production plants of the automobile manufacturers in Spain and therewith 330,000 or 13.7 % more than in 2014. Spain assured its eighth position in the global ranking of the automobile producers, following Mexico and followed by Brazil. According to the data of the Spanish Manufacturers’ Association AFNAC, total 2,733,301 units have been manufactured in the previous year.

Automobile manufacturers announce high investments in Spain

The growth of the domestic market around 20.9 % has the same positive impact on the increase in production as the improvement of the economic situation in the neighbouring sales markets like France, Germany and United Kingdom. The automobiles produced in Spain are exported up to China, South Korea and in the USA. Therewith, the previous year’s figures are the best since the financial year of 2007, in which 2.89 million vehicles were produced.

However, the improvement of the results does not allow the Spanish manufacturers to change their set target of 3 million produced vehicles for the financial year of 2017. Also, the target of 2.8 million vehicles for 2016 seems in reach with the production of the new series of vehicles like the Renault Mégane, which has already begun at the end of 2015. However, it does not seem as if there would be a sharp increase in 2016 already, since the major new vehicle models will not come into the market until 2017.

As for the investment plans of the industry, Seat-Head Jürgen Stackmann announced a3.3-billion-Euroinvestment in the Martorell (Barcelona) production site, where the production of four new Seat-models till 2019 has begun. In addition to this, the Volkswagen-group is investing 900 million Euros in the plant in Landaben (Navarra), in order to manufacture the new generation of Polo from 2017 over there. Likewise, Mercedes Benz announced investments of 780 million Euros for the Vitoria location, where the transporter Vito and the people carrier of the V-class are manufactured.

Ford invests in Almussafes after the closure of the Belgic plant

Other automobile manufacturers are also adding to investments. In this way, over 2.3 billion Euros are poured by Ford since 2011 in the Almussafes (Valencia) location, which, in the meantime, is the largest group in Europe after the closure of Gent (Belgium). The Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max models are manufactured here. Renault is currently investing 600 million Euros in Palencia, where, in the meantime, the fourth generation of bestseller Megane is rolling off the production lines. Nissan has followed its competitors and is investing 430 million Euros in the refurbishment of the plants in Avila and Barcelona, where new Lorries or the Pulsar model and the successor of the pick-up-van Navara are being produced.

Through the additional charge for the production of the new pick-up van K9 with an investment volume of 600 million Euros, the Vigo location of PSA Peugeot Citroën group is also regarded as secured for the next ten years. The group put in further 230 million Euros in the Villaverde plant, where the C4 Cactus is being currently manufactured. In this overall positive view, the investment of additional 500 million Euros from General Motors in the Figueruelas location is also joining the ranks. The fifth generation of Opel Corsa is mounted here.

Economic study of the Spanish Department for Industry, Energy and Tourism (in Spanish)

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